An Ancient Darkness, A Dead Star
by Kalameet the Black Dragon
Summary: The Star Guardians, a group of people choosen by the First Star to fight against the darkness of the Void. But, what happens when a much deeper and more powerful darkness threaten the light they protect. What happens when the darkness they have to face is that of the Dark Star.
1. Chapter 1

Every morning the same routine: I woke up, then it's time for breakfast and after washing my face and teeth I head toward school…oh, this and the fact that I was late.

'SHIT SHIT SHIT! I'm late…AGAIN!'

And here I am with a face of someone who had woken up and had to eat his own breakfast in a hurry. Then it was the matter of my uniform, which wasn't in perfect condition, and the fact that my rucksack is heavy like hell and right now such thing was truly something annoying considering that it was weighting me down and the worst part is that it would take me around 20 minutes of walking to reach my school.

So here I am, running like a mad man in an attempt to not be late for what would be like the tenth time or so.

'Why do I have to always go to bed at such an hour and WHY I'M ALWAYS SO TIRED!?'

In truth I know the answer to both of my 'questions' I am simply thinking so out of frustration. Still I keep running and surprisingly I manage to arrive at my destination, in my opinion, sooner than what I thought. Still, I am out of breath and a I am starting to sweat, not enough to be noticed easily, but I can still feel it.

'At least now I can catch my bre…'

Talked too soon. I imaged that I could at least walk calmly to my class and recover some of my breath: but I am literally on the edge of being late, because I have only five minutes left before the lesson will start, oh, now they have become four.

My usual luck.

Unfortunately for me, my run hasn't reached its end, I hate my life, and I head toward my class, which was located at the second floor of the building and this will only increase my fatigue, because it means literally four flight of stair!

One more sprint and I reach the door of my class, a small streak of sweat trickle down form my forehead. Not stopping to recover some breath, I push the door open and the usual sight of my classroom welcomes me and it looks like the prof hasn't arrived, which means that the class was, to say the least: a mess.

However, seeing the glass half full, I can say that I am lucky to not have met the prof and to have arrived just before the bell can ring. On the other side of the coin instead, I would more likely had a headache…considering the amount of noise they are causing.

"Seems like someone had a bad morning." Here he came, never losing a chance to provoke. Typical of Darius.

Still, I choose not to pay him any attention and start to quarrel with him, Garen will do it later, seriously what kind of problem do they have with each other. Bah, better focus on my own problem first and so I walk straight until my bench and sat down with a sigh of satisfaction… Finally! I can relax my legs and seriously I needed it.

"You run from your house until here, didn't you?" At least someone who is my friend in this mess.

"You have no idea Veigar, you have no idea." I answer leaning in my chair and enjoying the possibility to relax my muscles. My breath is still a bit accelerated and I can still feel a bit of sweat of my face, but soon both them will be gone.

"At least you managed to arrive in time for once."

"Yep." I answer back looking at my small classmate that is sitting on my left. He is the only one of my class with which I am able to get along with. My class is formed by 34 students, me included, and I managed to interact with very few of them, let alone being able to interact for more than five minutes while talking about something other than school or similar. Moreover, some members of my class aren't really the best to deal with and one of the worst was the one that greeted me: Darius. He is one of the members of the school's basketball team and he is pretty good in that, other than that, he tends to taunt pretty much every one and has a shitty and arrogant personality; in short, a full-fledged asshole that often boast about himself and the way he plays at basket while most of his grades are barely sufficient or even below that borderline.

Everyone are chatting with each other in different way and talking about everything they prefer and by summing all those voices the result was a mess in which it is hard to understand pretty much anything and I am sure that my head would explode soon enough. That, if it isn't for the fact that the prof finally arrives and everyone shut their mouth.

'Finally.'

The one in question is Prof Ryze and he is our prof of language and in my opinion one of the best we have. Still, he is also pretty strict and for how much my grades are good, the fact that I often don't make it in time to arrive is enough for him to not see me too well. Luckily enough he doesn't let his own thoughts on the matter influence his judgment, allowing me to not be on permanent alert during his lessons.

So, another normal day at school today and so, another normal day of life, yes…normal.

 **-Normal Life of a Teenager-**

"So, what was this time that kept you awake? Let me guess, the usual."

"It's not my fault if I have problems of insomnia."

Indeed, I have that kind of problem and it is truly something I hate. Almost every night, I would end up having problem in sleeping, no matter what I would do or how much I am tired. Moreover, the cause of my problem was clear to me, still, solving it is easier said than done, so I am struck with a problem that I can't solve.

"Well, I feel pretty lucky to not share your predicament." Typical of him to do this kind of comment, but I don't pay it too much attention, I know that he doesn't suffer of insomnia and personally I do not care too much. Everyone are different from each other and have their own problems to deal with: I suffer of sleep disturbance and Veigar, well he…

"At least I'm not so small that I hardly can reach anything higher than a meter."

"Don't you dare to LAUGH AT MY HEIGHT!"

Ohoh, seems like I hit the right button. Not that I don't know it, considering how many times the others in the class taunted him about it, so I am very well aware of this and I love to tease him sometimes: his reaction is just too funny.

"Ok, ok, sorry about that." I am still half laughing and I can hardly stop but I force myself to do it.

"I hate you and don't think that I will forget this!"

And here we have reached the school's gate and now it was time to head to our houses, which are in complete different direction and so we have to part away.

"Well then, see you tomorrow…shorty."

He quickly turns his head in my direction and the next thing he do is the reaction I was hoping to see.

"EHI! I HEARD YOU!"

I couldn't resist. Still, before leaving him on his own, I wave a hand to him to and then I proceed toward my destination. My mind free to think about anything is starting to focus on something in particular that I can't wait to do, but then I remember something about today and then the course of my thoughts change.

'Mmh…she wasn't at school today…I'd better call her.'

I just remembered something important that I forgot until now, well nothing new, considering that I'm capable of forgetting pretty much anything. At least I can solve this situation easily.

'I hope that this is not connected with that 'thing'.'

Yes, I am worried, something that, over time, I have grown accustomed to but still it feels strange every time I feel it, guess I spent too much time here. Oh well, at least it is worth it. So I take out my phone and after unlocking it with the proper password I select the contact I want to call and then it starts to ring.

"Hi Shanro, how you're doing."

Typical of her to act this way.

"Hi Kaisa, I'm fine but today I saw that you didn't came to school, how's that?"

"Oh, nothing to worry about, just the usual, I felt like my head was spinning and also kind of weak. Moreover, my left arm was itching but now it is gone. Strange don't you think?"

"Yes, it truly is…maybe it is just some stress, try to rest and I'm sure you will be like new tomorrow."

"Thanks, but how was today, did something new happened?"

"Nah, nothing, apart from the fact that I was about to fall asleep during lesson and barely managed to resist…I need to rest."

"Hehe, try do get some it sounds like you truly need it. Ah did you thought about offer for this weekend?"

Oh oh…with how much I had to deal with in the past days I have forgotten it. Last Saturday she told me that she is going out on a trip to the nearby mountains this weekend for a day and she asked me if I wish to go with her. Crap…ok, there is only one solution: power of improvisation.

"I think I will come along, if I can manage to finish the schedule I shouldn't have any problem."

"Good, I'll tell you tomorrow the place where we will meet."

"Ok, then bye."

"Bye."

…

'This isn't good…'

She put what she is feeling as something normal which has also occurred pretty often since six years ago. The doctors and even her believe that it is some form of anaemia or something that sometimes will occur without causing too much problems, but the truth is different and it's something that no one can solve it, for now.

As if this isn't enough, the fact that this happened today, only served to confirm what I thought and the fact that these past weeks weren't only a case. Something is happening.

But while I am thinking I reach the building where my apartment is. I go inside, my mind is still thinking about the information in my possession and about what I am going to do. Heading for the lifters I go inside it as soon as the door opens, I select the second floor and so it starts moving and few seconds later I have arrived. Not wasting anymore time I walk toward my door and unlock it.

'Finally.'

The next thing that occur is my rucksack being left on the floor while I sat on a chair and stares with empty eyes at the ceiling. I lived alone in a studio flat of around 70 m2 and with only two rooms: the main one, where are pretty much everything I need and a bathroom. As for what regards the furniture it wasn't any special furniture, only the essential ones like a pair of chairs, a pair tables, TV, a kitchenette, PC a bed and a few more things. As for the illumination well: two upright lamps and one attached to the ceiling are more than enough, but I also have a window to which I look with a distract gaze, finding that I still had some hours before the night fell on the city and I know exactly how to kill the remaining time. Taking out my books and notebook I put them on the table in what can be described as a disordered order and start to do what every other student does: study.

Today it is the turn of math and science, the last one in particular was about stars and just looking at this make me smile, what they are, how they are born, their life and their death. All these informations are kept inside that book but in fact there are many missing pieces about them and about what they hide.

Time seemed to fly and before I know it, it was dark. Stretching my arms, I walk toward my bed and fall on it. I feel really tired and I still have to cook…guess that I will simply order a pizza for tonight, but on second thought, no. It would take too much time and tonight I will probably be forced to remain awake…guess that tomorrow I will not go to school. A last sigh and then my eyelids close and I fall in some kind of drowsiness, but it doesn't last long, because soon enough my eyes open once more. I felt it, I definitely felt it and this time I won't ignore it.

'Time to go out.'

Standing up, I feel all my tiredness wash away like it never existed in the first place and the familiar feeling of coldness in my body take its place. I walk toward the door but before I reach it, I look into the glass of my wardrobe. I am of average height for my age and with a slim body that doesn't show any particular development of muscles; my eyes are pale coloured almost as if sick, my skin is then also paler than most, but not so much to make me look like I am dead. My hair aren't in the best condition, they aren't particularly long but because I never combed them, they are kind of spiky and dark coloured. Ruffling them lightly, I see that they don't change shape or lower and head toward my exit. That appearance is that of a pretty much normal teenager that lives his own life, but when I reach the door I feel it. Without wasting anymore time I open it and look back in the only window of my apartment: the lights are turned off, the roads aren't too illuminated and there is a crescent moon tonight, so it is pretty dark outside and inside, but I am not afraid of dark…because that is where I can feel more at ease.

 **Surprised that I didn't write something at the beginning, well, let's just say that for this story I have chosen to do this way. I don't guarantee regular update, but I think that, considering the fact that I will not create long chapters, I will be able to update this story more easily than my three others. Also, I will probably publish new chapter soon enough, because there are three more that are almost ready. With this said, I say by and I hope you appreciated this story.**


	2. Chapter 2

**-Night Time-**

I can smell it, that stench that is different from mine and yet so similar. A cold wind is breathing in the streets and on the roofs, but I am not perturbed by it and keep my mind focused on searching for that signal that I perceived before. But it is weak and I can feel it at intervals, this could only mean that the rift hasn't formed yet and also meaning that none of 'them' had any idea of what is about to happen yet.

'This way I should be able to operate without having those around for some time.'

Following the 'signal' I keep moving forward as fast as I can without that anyone notice me, but in the end no one does really care about a single shadow. But, I can feel the pulse growing stronger and soon it will stabilize and then they will come here, at least the rift won't open in the city but outside it, allowing me to work easier than normal, after all, my aim isn't to block them from coming, but to reach one of them, either by making it come out, or by going where it is doesn't make too much difference.

I am proceeding toward my destination while also observing my surrounding: the pulse I have felt will soon be perceived by those ones and that will complicate things.

' _I need to arrive there as soon as possible.'_

The city is quiet during night but the lights of the buildings and on the streets make it looks like alive: the buildings in the centre of the city are far higher than the others but doesn't tower over them and instead the building around them decrease regularly in height creating a perfect symmetry. Above their dark form there is the blue night sky with countless stars, too much for my tastes, and clouds are slowly receding, clearing the sky and showing parts of a nebula that looked almost like a cloud of shining dust. The scenario is truly to behold and I wouldn't dislike to watch it some more, but I have other matter to attend to. Still the sky looks truly like it is shining of pure warm light, thinking this I smile at such a naivety. There may be light, but there is also darkness.

' _If only they were to know the dark secrets of that same sky…'_

I go forward, I don't look back. I simply keep proceeding like a shadow melting in the darkness of the night, no one notices me and I make sure to meet as less people as possible. Finally, I am out of the city, but still, I haven't reached my destination yet. But now I was in a place with much less light and less eyes to notice me, this also meaning that I can act more freely.

' _Soon they will die…'_

A smile is on my face, but it isn't a normal smile, it is a wicked one and the cause is my excitement for being able to fight once more. Inhaling the air of the night I feel how warm it feels compared to my cold body and looking down at my feet, I can see that even the ground and the grass can perceive this. But, I don't pay it too much attention and proceed toward my destination, only this time I can travel faster than before: this time there weren't just a few shadows around, but everything is clad in the darkness of the night.

Forward, without stopping, I finally reach my destination. It is a particular place to see: an escarpment of ten meters is in front of me and I can faintly see some trees up there, still, there are trees also behind me, but between them and the escarpment are four meters of bare land, which also is kind of dry. If I have had time, I probably have tried to study that formation, but it looks like I had run out of it: the ground starts to shake and cracks forms on its surface, then a disturbing purplish light come out from those small rifts. But it isn't finished yet: the cracks spread and become larger and then the ground start to turn into a dark shade of the same colour of the light that come out from those rifts and rocks like sharp teeth aimed at the sky appear, seemingly tearing open the ground.

Then, it was their turn: from that fissure that had generated started to come out small creatures with a thin body, four appendages and a head with three eyes and small teeth. From what I knew, these creatures were called the voidlings and are amongst the weaker of their species and always live in large groups. They aren't that problematic to defeat, but they are quite annoying and personally speaking I don't want to deal with them. My target is in front of me, or to be precise on the other side of what stand in front of me, but I don't have much time and I need to act as quickly as possible and the voidlings are increasing in number rapidly, if I don't hurry I won't be able to get it out of its 'den'.

A quick look at the scene and I start to run toward the portal. Shrieks of those creatures starts to echo in the area and reach my ears, but this give me the signal that indicates the begin of their attack. A voidling came to my left and jumps against me, its corpse is cut in half and land behind me; the second let out another shriek before charging, but immediately after it make itself known, I crush it on the ground, leaving a stain of dark purple blood on the ground. Others try to tackle me on the ground by jumping toward me, but I simply dodge the assault and proceed forward without slowing down. I have to act fast.

I manage to reach where the ground was cracked and notice that the dirt has been replaced with dark coloured rock that is the same material that forms the Void and it almost resembles the wound of a giant monster. But again, I ignore such reflection and charge forward, but something I unexpected occurs: a purplish tentacle came crushing down on where I am, forcing me to dodge the attack and stop.

I had never seen this kind of voidborn before but considering the speed of its attack it certainly wasn't weak: the main body is deprived of any legs and has something like pustules growing on the lower part, making it larger than what it really is, the waist and the upper part was smaller than the rest of the body and looks almost sick; its shoulders have some kind of natural armor made of keratin or something similar. Both arms are long and thin and have only three clawed fingers, the head is small and without eyes, but presents some kind of crown made of the same material as the armor on the shoulders and a mouth filled with sharp teeth. Then from its back come out six tentacles made of energy of the void and that moves continuously, ready to strike once more.

I have never met this kind of voidborn before, but looking carefully, it didn't look like it was one of the most powerful and judging from the saliva that was dripping from its mouth it was hungry and ready to eat anything, so it wasn't a surprise, when one of its tentacles crashed a voidlings that was coming out, before the same creature that killed it devoured the corpse in no time.

' _I don't have time to waste with this thing here.'_

I am sure that it doesn't pose that much of a problem to deal with the new arrived but I want to waste as less time as possible, so fighting it is out of question, but then what to do: its tentacles are fast and will attack me as soon as I get close enough but they also attacked that voidling, moreover they moved as if not truly controlled by that creature's mind, but by some kind of primordial instincts, also its hunger is too much even for a normal creature of the void.

' _This must be a newborn. Maybe then…'_

Maybe I have a plan to deal with that thing: that voidborn is hungry and it seems that eating its own kind isn't a problem for it and a corpse is a better prey than a living one that might also fight back.

Looking behind me I could see a good number of those insects that are coming out from the cracks in the ground and that are all looking at me, apparently ignoring what just happened to one of them. Well, at least I have their attention, shame that such public won't last long, because now, it is time to kill them!

Turning to face the swarm of creatures, I then charge at them head on, I don't fear them, rather, they are those foolish enough not to fear me: three of them jump to attack me from above, a diagonal slash cut their bodies into two and left one of them still alive, but not for long. Another one try to take me from the back, someone at least seems to think about what it does, but its head is separated from its body before it can even attack. Others are about to do the same, but I am faster and lunch myself in the middle of their swarm and then the carnage happened! The creatures didn't even had the time to register what I did, because all of them were cut to pieces in no time, their remaining lied down on the ground while the their blood and organs slipped out of the corpses. Some of their blood is also on me, but I pay it no attention and instead look at the new-born creature of the void: as I predicted, it is already eating the corpses of the voidlings and ignoring me. Not having it bothering me anymore, I calmly walk toward the portal, that fight was barely a warm up and considering what I am about to face, it can't possibly be compared to it.

The rift looks much a window in which I can see the same sky that over my head, with countless stars shining in it, but their lights are different, they are cold and of violet colour and shrieks of the creatures of the void can be heard from that fissure. That form is just a mask to deceive all those that looks at it, but for me it is clear as to look into a glass of water.

Still, I have come this far and now it is time to solve the situation: without thinking twice, I jump inside that rift. What happens next isn't new to me: I feel my body traverse the thin veil that is that portal and then, I find myself in the true 'rift'. As far as I know, there are two kinds of protal to the void: the first one is direct portal that opens directly on the void, however, it is rare to see any of these portals, because they require an enormous amount of energy to be created and are also terribly destructive. The other kind instead is the one I am in, the name is Rift and is characterized by the fact that it doesn't transport those that traverse it directly into the void, but into a place in the middle of the two world in which there is a Herald and that, is my target, because this Herald is different: normally, such voidborn is particularly powerful, but it doesn't let those on both sides perceive its presence. This one instead is emitting a strange energy that doesn't resemble that of a normal creature from the Void and is far too similar with the same energy that I use, thus the reason why I am here.

' _It should be here.'_

I look around, searching for any sign of the Herald's presence, but I can't see any. Still, the fact that I can't find it, doesn't mean that I am allowed to lower my guard, but rather the oppsite: this enemy isn't normal and it is most likely to possess some kind of particular trait. I keep looking around me, my nerves are tense and ready to react, but I am calm and keep a cool mind.

 _ **Shaaaa…**_

' _Finally.'_

It seems that the Herald has finally decided to allow me know that it is here. An attack from my right side…I dodge it by jumping back, if I am right it has attacked with one of its 'claws' and if I have chosen to dodge by stepping on my left, I might have ended up being face to face with it, giving the perfect chance for my target to charge at me. Instead I preferr to position myself on its side, a spot where it is harder for it to land an attack. Still, I can't be sure of it, because, I have just discovered one of the Herald's ability: it can turn invisible. Although, it is most likely that it has the ability to camouflage itself with the surroundings and not to be impossible to see and this was an ability that I have already seen in a voidborn.

' _But at least Kha'Zix wasn't able to remain camouflaged for long.'_

So, here is my first option: wait until the Herald will become visible and then attack it before it can hide once more. But, this one has two problems: first I don't know the exact amount of time for which it will remain unseen and also, by simply waiting, I will end up giving it a good advantage that will make things more complicated. This forcing me to take the other one: I need to find a way to nullify its ability and in truth I have an idea, but I prefer not to have to use it. Still, unless I find a solution within the next two minutes, I'll have to use it.

' _Let's see how though are you.'_

I stop and stand still in the same spot as I land after I dodge the last attack and my target acts as I predicted: Heralds are creatures known for their strength and resistance, but present a fatal weakness when it comes to intelligence, they don't speak and act mostly following their instincts. I feel something moving in front of me, and dodge it once more and hear the attack impact on the transparent ground that separate us from the void. A place shrouded in a darkness that devours anything and illuminated by dark purple lights, I know that place, I know it and the horrors that liva there, but I am not afraid…no instead, it's them that are afraid of me!

 _ **SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA**_

' _Checkmate…'_

Another attack, this time a charge, the favourite attack of this kind of voidborn and in this case, my chance to make it come out. First, I dodge the attack, but this time, I jump up in the air and its movement was powerful enough to cause a gust of wind and if I have been closer, that one would have messed my plan. Using the fact, I am in the air, I aim for where the Herald should be and then slash at it: I have predicted that the point I hit is where the eye of void should be and I was correct about where my attack landed, but, the reaction isn't the one I expected. Normally, when the eye of a Herald is hit, it would attack the one that hurt it, but instead I feel it wavering and stop. It seems like this one indeed has the ability to camouflage itself, but is also less though than a normal Herald, as always nothing comes with nothing.

Still, I have to be cautious of this one, even if it shows to be weaker, that doesn't exclude the fact that it might have some other characteristics that I don't know. So I prefer to leap back and keep my distance: this was also risky, considering the fact that I am facing an opponent that can't be seen. But, after I have hit the eye, it seems that the amount of damage I caused it, was enough to make it come out from its hiding spot and now, its camouflage has fallen apart. Now I can see how it was and what I see, only serves to confirm my suspects: normally this kind of voidborn is quite big and has a total of four limbs, two of which are pincers and are its main weapon; the head is also small and short, ideal for its charge attacks; then there is the eye, which is positioned in the centre of its back and is normally protected by a pair of membranes made of chitin much sturdier than the rest of the body. This one instead looks much different from such description: the body is slenderer and has a more stretched shape, the membranes on its back aren't two, but four and are also less wide and a bit longer. Its limbs are different: the two pincers are a bit longer and less massive, as if their purpose isn't to crush, but more like to pierce and eviscerate and the limbs are also longer than normal. It also has only one more pair of limbs, which works as legs and are bigger than those of a normal Herald, sign that they can give a more powerful boost to its charge. The head has four small eyes, three purple and one of a luminescent yellow, its shape develops in length, giving it a more pointed form and also the lower jaw split into two and is longer than the upper one. As for its coloration, that is what confirmed my thoughts: the lower part keeps the usual dull dark purple coloration, but the back, the head and even the pincers tends to a deep pitch black deprived of any light, the chitin on its body also tends to take a more sharpened form, making it looks almost like they are scale shaped plates of an armor.

' _Somehow, this Herald was partially corroupted by the energy of the Dark Star…'_

I have to kill it at any cost, but in order to do it, I also need to make sure that its corpse doesn't return in the Void, otherwise killing it will be pointless. However, to make sure that its body isn't returned to its original dimension, I have to push it out of this Rift, which means, that I have to make it collapse and make sure that both of us reach the other world.

' _This will be a pain to deal with…'_

Am I frustrated? Yes. Am I stressed? Also. Am I ready to deal with the fact that as soon as I get out of here I will be forced to kill something like this with a group of five idiots around and ready to interfere? …I will find out soon enough.

 **Ok, seems like this story isn't that successful. Well, doesn't matter, I like it, it's a good way to test a new way of writing and I don't find it too hard to write it, so I think I'll just keep writing and sporadically post the chapters for now, well I hope for to have a nice day, or evening, or night, or whatever it is.**


	3. Chapter 3

**-The Figure of the Malice-**

'That's the last one!'

I think Directing a ray of light toward what is the last one of the dark coloured insects that has come out from the cracks on the ground. The ray hit it and its body explodes into a purple mush.

The silence finally descends on the place: we arrived here just a few minutes ago and as soon as we arrived, we had fought against these creatures. It is tiresome, but now it has ended and now we have to find a way to close that huge crack on the ground from which those monsters have come out.

Looking around, the ground is stained with those creature's corpses and their purple blood. They seemed to be infinite and there was one more powerful than the others that proved to be much harder to deal with than the rest of those insects. I can still see its corpse: its mouth still open and its teeth stained with the same purple blood of the other insects. When we arrived, we found it eating the smaller ones, but as soon as we were 'seen' by it, it charged at us and shortly after it, many others of those small insects swarmed out of that cracks and joined the fight. We fought with everything we had and we barely did it, there were a pair of times on which it seemed like we were about to lose, but at the very end, we did it.

"Now we have to close that crack."

The others turn toward me and then toward it: normally such kind of crack would close up by itself after the insects are defeated, but strangely enough this one is still open, and so we now have to close it before more creatures come out

"Why don't we try to…"

Jinx can't even finish her sentence that the ground shake with such force that we all fall on the ground, we try to get up, but a second quake prevent us from doing it. Then a third, together with a scream from that cracks and a growing purplish brightness. At that my fear was increasing and probably the others feel the same, I don't know what is coming now and that scream made my blood freeze: it was a mix of anger, suffering and malice mixed with the voice of a monster.

Standing up, I prepare myself to face whatever will come out, but a sudden flash of the light that blind me for a few seconds. I open my eyes, and what I see leave me speechless: from that crack had come out a huge insect like creature with two huge pincers and covered by a pitch black armor that denied every light around it. Still, what truly leave me speechless was the other figure: the general shape is almost like that of a man, but looking closely, it was more like a monster. Its body is completely clad in some kind of armor made of the darkest black metal plates I've ever seen. Under it swirls some kind of dark energy that seems to also be part of it and that leaks from small fissures here and there. Its arms are thin: the left one is covered entirely by those dark plates while a curved blade longer than its own arm come out. The right one instead has its upper part mostly bare, showing the dark energy and another curved blade, this time slightly longer than the section of its arm, and with a pointed plate that is almost like the tip of a spear in the point where the blade starts. But there is a common thing in both blades: they are made of a metal even darker than the plates that covers its body and have dark purple lines run on their surface. The legs are covered entirely by those same pitch black plates but the general shape of that pseudo armor is more similar to that of a pair of trousers and a pair of shoes, but with a more metallic shape. From its shoulders a ragged mantle of pure dark energy flows until its knees. The head has the shape of a black helmet that almost resembles the upper part of an elongated head of a reptile like monster with numerous spikes. As if its appereance that seems to comes from a nightmare isn't enough, that head connects with the collar of that armor, making it look like a jaw with sharp teeth that seems to be able to pierce anything. The eyes, however, are a pair of yellow lines full of malice and hate and that is making me shake uncontrollably. A darkness that can't even be seen and that desires to swallow everything without leaving nothing, that is how I feel by looking at those two lines.

I can't stop shaking and yet, I stand up, my wand in my hands, but both them and my body can't stop shaking. I try to move, but it refuses to listen to me and stand still.

'I…I have to react…'

I keep looking at that dark figure that seems to devour all the lights around its body and make the world fall into the deepest pitch black darkness. Its eyes were looking at us with such malice that make me unable to move or even talk, it is almost like the world has stopped and the only thing that don't is that figure. I want to run, I want to escape from that place, but my body don't move, it doesn't listen to me!

I see those eyes still staring at us, seemingly looking inside our souls, but then, it directs its gaze toward the giant insects and I feel again my body return to its senses. I then look at the others: Jinx, Lulu and Poppy have the same gaze as mine, filled with fear of that figure, but Janna is different, I don't know how, but her gaze isn't the same terrified one as mine, but I can't grasp what the true difference is, I can only feel it.

"Janna…?"

She doesn't listen, her gaze fix on that figure, who is now walking toward the giant insect with calm steps.

"JANNA!"

In an attempt to wake her up of her trance, I yell at her; the nervousness of the moment was becoming all the more suffocating after each moment, even the others turn to look at me and finally Janna returns to us. All of them were looking at me with doubt and fear, none of us knew exactly what to do or what was happening, our fear clouded our mind and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't think perfectly straight.

Then, I hear the same shriek that came out from that crack and immediately my head turns in that direction: the two monsters that came out from the portal are facing each other now and the giant insect is looking at the other with the pure intention to kill it. The other then direct its gaze filled with malice toward it and then run toward it. In response the giant armored insect release another cry and then when lunch one of its pincers toward the other, but it only serves to crack the ground where it hit; instead the other one don't wait and use the spear like plate on its right hand to attack the exposed limbs. The attack land and crack the carapace, but the limbs is still attached to the body.

Crying for the pain: the insect uses its head to attack and its mouth open wide, showing all of its sharp and long teeth, ready to tear the other's flesh. But it misses: the other figure jumped up in the air and successfully avoid the attack. Then, I see him fall and use that speed to give more power to its blades and he use that to its advantage to cut in half one of the four appendages on its back and receding completely another one.

'How…how did he managed to do it?!'

I can hardly believe to it, but that figure managed to easily injure that monster with ease and all of this without being hit even once. Such thing is simply impossible for our group.

I keep staring in fear and surprise at that dark figure who is fighting against something too strong for all of us.

The insect charge once more, its mouth and one of its pincers ready to strike, the other one is lying on its side. The other figure then run toward it. I can't divert my gaze and I see the smaller of the two dodge the incoming attack by shooting itself toward the other. Then, it used one of its blades to cut the only good pincer the insect had and then with a jump he was behind it. Then he makes use of both the blades to cut the other's back.

A shriek is what came, one louder than all the previous ones and the giant insect fell on the ground.

'It…it killed it…'

I am at loss of words, I stare first at that corpse and then at the other figure, but it run away before I could say anything. I try to run toward it, but then, the corpse rise and look at us: its eyes are now completely yellow and purple blood is dripping from its mouth and the limb that was broken is now moving.

'Wa-wasn't it dead.'

I look at its huge body and then at the others, it may be wounded and weakened, but it was still dangerous, but we had to defeat it.

A shriek, the attack of that monster begin and we fight back.

 **Well, looks like I didn't post anything in the last few days. This time it was because of some problems, but don't expect this story to be updated too often, I'm still a high school student and I'm in the middle of my last year, which means exam at the year's end and I'm sure it will be worse than hell. So please be a little patient. With this said see you next time.**


	4. Chapter 4

**-Hobby of Life-**

'I'm tired…'

The next thing that I feel is the mattress of my bed and my face that sinks in my pillow. Still, my eyes don't want to close.

'I hate my life.'

All the lights in my apartment are turned off and the only source of light comes from my window, I'm tired after the fight of before, this body not being able to withstand the burden of that kind of fight and I COULDN'T SLEEP BECAUSE OF MY INSOMNIA!

Tomorrow or today, I don't, but it's already 3:23 and I still can't get some sleep. All because of this problem of mine, which is caused by the fact that the light of the stars on this planet is extremely strong and considering that their energy is my opposite and that in this body I can't protect against it, it causes me problems in sleeping. At least, the fact I currently am in human form allow me to act as a normal person, which is something I don't really dislike, I can still remember why I came here in the first place, but today I'm not in the mood to thing about the past, because I WANT SOME WELL DESERVED SLEEP!

'I swe _ar i_ f it w _a_ s _n't_ for her, _I would_ be ab _le to sleep_ peacefully.'

I really can't sleep, fine then, guess I'll read something. I turn on the lights with the switch near my bed, I turn on the lights and I let one of my eyes slip out from the pillow. I then move it in search of the book I am reading: the bookshelves, no; the table, no; my desk, no; hob or cooker…thankfully no.

'I probably forgot it in the bathroom.'

Rising from my bed, I scratch one of my eyes and then stand up before walking toward the bathroom. I really am tired. I open the door and the book is comfortably recumbent on the sink, a good place, if it wasn't for that fact that it can get wet anytime the water is turned on. I really don't think about what I do sometimes

I take the book, while mentally slapping myself for my stupidity and then return to my bed. Next, turn off the main light and turn on a small lamp that is on the small table next to my bed.

Now everything is in place: I take a moment to look at the cover, the book itself is pretty heavy and has over one thousand pages and the story isn't that special, but at least I have something to kill the time. Ever since I came here, I have tried to read various books, but very few managed to interest me, still I keep reading to have something to do when I don't know what to do. In truth I also have one more hobby, but now it isn't the right time to do it.

I keep reading, my eyes looking at each lines and passing from word to word and slowly, my eyelids were closing. My tiredness was finally winning over my insomnia and soon I will be in the world of sleep; turning off the light, I put the book on the floor and finally I fall asleep.

…

…

…

…

'Seems like I was able to rest peacefully this time.'

Letting out a yawn, I stretched my arms before sitting on the edge of my bed. It is already morning, or so it would be correct to say by a chronological point of view, but in truth the light of the sun has just begun to light the city. My clock indicates that it is 6:14, still early, but at least I don't feel as tired as yesterday, guess that the energy of the dark star inside that Herald that I absorbed has restored some of my energy and calmed down my own hunger.

'Guess, I'll have to return to the Horizon of the Events soon enough.'

I return to lay down in my bed. Even if I'm not as tired as I was when I returned here yesterday's night, I still am more tired than yesterday and if I am to go to school now…well, no doubt that I will fall asleep this time. I close my eyes, but not to sleep, but to think. I recollect everything I've seen and every particular of the last night: the rift, the Herald and its ability. From what I saw, its body was partially corrupted by the dark star's energy, yet his mind still belonged to the Void, making this a true threat, still, when I crushed the eye of the void on its back, the corruption spread on its entire being and managed to overtake its dying body. It is most likely that the eye managed to contain the energy and to prevent it from taking over, still, the fact that a voidborn managed to make use of such power means that someone in the Void is working hard.

'It's either him and his acolytes or the Will.'

The voidborns are split into different species, each independent from one another, but not all of them are stupid and some are intelligent enough to have their own objectives. Still, all of them have to obey to a common thing: to consume everything and spread the Void's corruption. Because of this reason some of their actions are predictable, but this also make some of them good additions to the Dark Star.

Already three voidborns have trespassed the Horizon of the Events and have returned as servants of the singularity. Yet, that Herald was corrupted completely, such thing was truly bothering me, not only because this means a new danger, but because it can also be a precious information for them.

'I have to solve this problem as soon as possible.'

I am focusing on the Herald and then something more comes to my mind: why a Herald was corrupted and why not sending it out of the Rift to test it? Probably it was an unfinished experiment or something different. Maybe they wanted to attract me inside the Rift to see how the Herald would have acted or how I would have dealt with it. So many options and questions…I need a holiday, or at least something to distract myself.

I look at the clock once more: it's 7:35.

'Guess, I'll sleep some more.'

I can't even think about anything that I fall asleep again. Last night has given me the final hit to destroy all my defences against my tiredness.

…

…

… _hunger_ _…_

I wake up and let out a sigh.

'It has started again.'

I stand up and walk toward the bookshelf. My eyes looking at each shelf in search of a pair of things I needed. There was just one little problem: I was extremely chaotic when it comes to put things in order, so my entire bookshelf was in a state of utter mess, so it wasn't easy to find what I wished to have. Roughly two minutes after I have begun to search, I have finished to check the entire piece of furniture and nothing.

I turn around, hoping to find it somewhere in my apartment, but I have no such luck. I look at the clock: it's 9:21 now.

'I will ask Veigar for the homework…'

Something snaps in my head and I remember: face-palm and then I go for my rucksack. If I remember correctly I should have put what I'm looking for inside it aaaand, yes it is here. I take out a black notebook with some scratch on the cover, but nothing serious. Its content is still intact and its pages are perfectly fine and that's what matters. Opening it I see what I was looking for: my sketch.

Over the years I have lived in this world I have tried various things to spend my time here and one of the few that managed to catch my interest is to draw. Now I draw whatever comes to my mind, be it monsters, animals or scenarios, as for people, well…I'm not too good at painting them. Still, I'm searching for a sketch in particular, one about a scenario I saw last month and that caught my interest, so I decided to make a sketch of it so that I could paint it later and that is what I wish to do now.

'Found it.'

I press a finger on the page as to emphasize my action and then I walk toward my sofa, which is in front of my window and turn on the PC on the small table in front of the sofa. Next, I take out my table for digital drawing and then, I wait for the computer to be ready, which takes five minutes, I really need to solve the problems of this PC.

I then connect my table, sit in a comfortable position and then start drawing.

My hands move almost on their own, recreating the lines that I previously have done on my note book but at the same times, making attention to not put too much strength while painting, I do not wish to scratch the table, WITH HOW MUCH ONE COSTS! I keep drawing, my hands stop only when there is a line out of place and I have to delete it, only problem with the program I'm currently using, I have to deal with a rubber that's a bit too big for my taste, this sometimes causes me to remake some lines but my drawing style is based in making small lines that put together forms an image. Still, after I finish to draw the picture with this technique, I go over the lines with a different stroke and then the picture is ready to be coloured.

Saying it like this, it seems like something quick, but in truth it normally takes me from five to seven days to complete a picture of a scenario like this one. If I am also to consider the fact that I'm kind of perfectionist when it comes to this kind of things and I also like to take my time in painting, which only serves to prolong even more the time I spend doing this kind of things.

'Who would have guessed that I would have ended up liking something like this.'

Small lines are forming on the screen and forming the shape of mountains in the background while a valley is under their shadow and then again, indicating another mountain.

When I did the sketch I was out with Kaisa on a trip out of the city and we climbed all the day. But at some point I asked her to stop and I have taken a picture of this scenario, she then decided to stop there to eat lunch and I used that opportunity to take the sketch. I still remember it.

 **Flashback:**

"You really can't live without bringing with you that notebook, can you?"

She half laugh saying it, but I keep drawing, my eyes focused on capturing as much detail of the landscape as I can.

"You never listen to me when drawing."

"Actually I do, I simply don't answer because I'm focused in doing something other."

My reply isn't of the best, Veigar always tells me that I often sound sullen when speaking and that happens even when I have the opposite intentions. So even now I made my voice sound like I had a grudge on her for speaking with me.

"You really can't control yourself."

She then started to laugh lightly, making me stop and look at her in half embarrassment. Even if I have spent more than ten years on this planet, I still have problems about various matters and the part of talking with others is one of these. Still, I take one more moment staring at her, before returning to my note book.

I keep drawing, my hand moving faster than before. Probably it is an effect of my embarrassment, but I ignore such thing and keep drawing.

I feel her sitting next to me, but I remain unruffled and continue to draw. She then looks at my note book and at the sketch I'm finishing: normally I don't let others know about this hobby of mine, let alone allow them to see what I draw, but both Kaisa and Veigar know about it and I don't have any problems in showing them my drawing.

"It's beautiful, but I think sometimes you should try to enjoy more what you see without having to draw it."

She speaks with her usual calm voice and end with a small laugh. She's probably laughing at the fact that I always have with me my note book where I make my sketch.

"You know me…it's like a drug and I love to draw."

Even when I speak, I keep drawing without stopping, thus my voice was that of someone who answered only to get rid of the nuisance. But, I'm lucky she knows me well enough to know that I didn't mean such thing, but I am simply focused on what I'm doing.

I stop, take a breath and then look at my work: I'm over halfway done, there are a few details that I still have to do but, I would be able to finish it in a rather short time. Knowing this, I choose to stop and rest and the first thing I do is to stretch my arms and legs. She then offers me a little bottle of water, clearly understanding that I am probably thirsty since I haven't drunk any water ever since we our last stop around forty minutes ago and when I draw I tend to forget everything other than the subject I'm painting. I nod to thank her for the water and drink some of the liquid inside the bottle without thinking twice, I really am thirsty.

"You really are silly sometimes."

"Excuse me if I simply wish to drink some fresh water."

"Don't get me wrong, it's just that I'm happy you can also act like this. You normally control yourselves much more."

Her reply made me look at her with a blank expression, concealing the fact that I wasn't really expecting such action and then I choose to return to my drawing and finish it.

"And here you return to close on drawing."

She is sweat dropping at my reaction, I know it, but I simply ignore it and keep drawing. I want to finish what I'm doing as soon as I can, because I have just smelled something that will force me to stop and I will not be able to finish the sketch. Luckily, after barely a pair of minutes, I have finished and can put the notebook back in my rucksack. Next thing I do, is taking out a cover for my rucksack as well as a second one for Kaisa.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

"it's more likely to rain soon, I think it's better if you put that on your rucksack."

She looks up at the sky and notice that a strong wind is rising, while dark grey clouds are gathering over our heads and I can feel the humidity rising slightly while a scent of rain is transported by the wind. Luckily I am wearing a waxed jacket while Kaisa is taking out her own.

"We'd better hurry to go down, otherwise it will become troublesome."

As always I my tone is annoyed and seems that of someone that is forced to deal with something that is bothering him. I internally roll my eyes at my incapacity in talking like a normal person and I really try to do it, but I never manage it.

"I know, don't worry Shanro, we'll be fine."

She finishes to wear her jacket and we both start to go down. I really like when we go out on a trip of this kind, it helps me relax and enjoy this place more. I really have ended up liking this kind of life.

 **Flashback End:**

In the end, I have spent more than one hour drawing and I have left only some small details and the colour, to remember that I also have taken a picture of this scenario.

'Two more days and I'll get to go out again, hope this time I will find something interesting enough to draw.'

Yes, as she said that time, I really am addicted to drawing.

 **Ah ah! Well, surprise, I decided to post this other chapter as a compensation for the absence and because it is finished. Still, remember what I said in the previous chapters: don't get used to this frequency with the updates.**


	5. Chapter 5

**-Forgetfulness, Incident and Surprise-**

Zzzzzz…

A Saturday, one of the two days of the week in which a student can relax. Or, in my case, recover some well-deserved sleep that is denied by a particular kind of insomnia.

Zzzzzz…zzzzzzzzzz…

Still, this Saturday isn't one in which I recover from my tiredness…

Zzzzzzz…

…

'blink'

…

'yawn'

…

Stopping the hellish ring of the reveille, I take my phone and lazily look at the clock. It's the 7:35, after I have read it, I put the phone back to where it was.

…

…

…

"CRAAAP!"

I shout in agitation and I probably had woken up someone, my blanket is practically thrown on the floor while I shoot out of my bed and run toward my wardrobe in search of some suitable clothes. I look inside it frenetically and in the heat of the moment I also throw out some of them, making the floor a complete mess. Then, I remember something: yesterday's night before I went to bed, I had put the clothes I am searching on the sofa. I don't have time to waste and grab them in a rush toward the bathroom and not even two minutes later, I'm fully dressed.

Next, I go for what can be considered as my kitchen and take out respectively a cup, a spoon, some milk and biscuits; in short the strict essential to make a small breakfast. I eat and drink it as fast as I can and I put them in their respective places and focus my attention to take the few things I'm missing to be ready for today's trip.

First, I throw out everything that is inside it, they're all exercise books and books from school, so I don't need them. Next, I prepare in a hurry a second set of clothes, just to be sure, my note book with all the sketch, my pencil case, a bottle of water, a big one of around 2L, yes, when I'm thirsty I drink a lot, a book, you never know when it will be useful, something light to eat and a few things to treat minor injuries or headache. Yes, I'm paranoid.

I make a quick check, just to be sure I haven't forgotten anything and when I'm sure of it, I put on my shoes, take my wallet, the keys of the apartment, the phone and head out.

First thing I do, is to run: I sprint toward the stairs and hurry toward the entrance. We had agreed to meet up at the train station at 8:15 and considering that it was already 7:58, I don't have that much time to reach my destination. Now it is 7:59.

'Shit, I have to RUUUN!'

As soon as I reach the end of the stairs, I start running like my life depends on it. In a few seconds I'm out of the building and I'm running as fast as I can toward my destination. As for the reason of such a hurry, well, normally it would take me around half an hour to walk from my apartment to the station. Useless to say, I now have to cover such distance in half of that time and in my opinion: this situation is worse than my usual race until school. Why? Because, first, because the distance between my home and school is less than that I have to walk to go to the station; second, it's Saturday and I want to sleep!

'Crap, crap CRAAAAP!'

Sweat is already forming on my forehead and pouring down. Great, today's temperature is hotter than usual…why do I have to have such bad luck following me everywhere I go!

A traffic light…and it's GREEN! WHY WHY WHY!? Run, run, run...aaand, fail. Before I can cross the road, the traffic light had already become red and I will have to wait an eternity before it becomes green once more. My shoulders slump down in resignation, I really am doomed to be cursed by this bad luck until I die, which will hardly happen unless someone kill me. I take out my phone and look at its screen to see what time it is and as if my depression isn't already under zero, it is 8:02…

'I want to kill myself…'

At least Kaisa isn't someone that will lose her patience easily. Instead, I would say the opposite, she is rather patient and with a strong will that allows her to find a solution to most of problems she come across. Still, she also has some problems: for example, if she decides to do something, then it will be very, very hard to make her change her mind, so it can be said that she's stubborn. It's because of this that even when a situation turns for the worst, she will not surrender, she will always keep up until the end.

Meanwhile, I have at least managed to not end under a car a pair of times by the skin of my teeth and my tiredness has only increased. Still, on the other side, I'm almost there and it's 8:13. Seems like all the run I've done these past years have paid off. Now, what I have to do is…fuck-my-LIFEE!

CRASH

I was running too fast to stop immediately and my luck wanted that there is a bend to the left right in front of me and that someone had just came out of there, causing my 'crash' on said person. The next thing to occur is my body falling face on the ground, all because it seems the person I have come across to is extremely small.

I stand up, scratching my face, at least I am carrying the rucksack on only one shoulder, this allowing me to smoothen the fall. I then turn my head to see who is the shorty I crashed on and have a very bad presentiment…and it isn't wrong…

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING EH!?"

'Great…Veigar…'

Yes, the one that I crashed on is Veigar and considering the fact that he loses his temper easily when someone jokes about his height or in general when something bothers him, this must have make him lose all kind of restrains.

"DO YOU EVEN LOOK IN FRONT OF YOU WHEN YOU WALK?! YOU CRASHED ON ME AND IT WASN'T PAINLESS IN THE LEAST!"

"Cut it out Veigar I am in a rush and you're small…"

"…"

"…"

'I hate me and my life.'

"WHAT HAVE YOU SAID!? DON'T DARE TO CAME UP WITH THIS KIND OF JUSTIFICATION WHEN YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S WRONG! YOU CRASHED ON ME AND THE FIRST THING YOU SAY ISN'T EVEN A 'SORRY' BUT YOU TRY TO SAY THAT IT'S MY FAULT…"

Great, I hate this kind of situation: when Veigar lose all his restrains and starts shouting because of his anger. Aaah, I can't waste my time here, at this point she will be there for sure!

"Sorry, I have to go and sorry for the crash."

I answer him back despite all the fuss he's doing and his shouts of anger and proceed forward. My destination is now practically in front of me a few more meters and…

"You're late of four minutes."

Crack

I'm sure I heard something inside me break at hearing those words and the reason for it are two: first, I hate to be late; second, the voice that just talked.

"Sorry Kai, I overslept."

I am smiling awkwardly and feeling kind of embarrassed for the fact that she caught me red hand and considering the current distance between my actual position and where I crashed on Veigar, she must have heard pretty much everything, which doesn't help at all.

*chuckle*"I know, you're tired and all, well hope that you will be able to get some sleep while we're on the train."

She is smiling like usual and she show to be emphatic about my problem, I feel kind of lucky to have a good friend like her. Still, I turn back and see that Veigar is looking at me while stomping continuously his foot on the ground and his arms are crossed over his torso. I gesture him that I'm sorry and wave my hand at him, he reacts by starting to jump up and down in frustration while saying something I can't hear because of the noise caused by the traffic. However, it's clear that he's not happy…nope he's furious, guess, it will take two or three days before he will forget it.

Both me and Kaisa keep walking toward the station: we had planned to take the train of the 8:35 to go out of the city. Our destination…well, she didn't reveal it to me and personally speaking: I've been kind of busy these past days and my tiredness has reached its peak with the fact that there are only two more weeks before summer's holiday begin, homework aren't few and then, there also was the matter of that Herald. After that episode, I kept being vigilant if something more was to occur and since Tuesday one more portal was opened, which is something strange considering that normally the gap between the creation of two portals normally oscillates between six days to eighteen. The fact that this time said gap was only of two days wasn't good and in truth such thing might also affect Kaisa, after all the events of that time left on her that.

However, I should really stop to wander off too much, because it's already hard to orientate inside this train station when focused, let alone when thinking about something different. This forcing me to follow her in order to prevent such thing to happen, but knowing myself, I might end up losing sight of her and lose myself in that mess.

"So, I suppose you're not going to tell me where are going right."

"I was to do it then I would ruin the surprise."

"…*sigh* You know very well that I hate surprise."

"Oh, come on, try to be a bit more 'flexible' sometimes."

At this I choose to not reply, it is truly useless to argue with her when she decides to do something. I look around us: we have reached the rail where our train should arrive at 35 and it is still 29, meaning that we still have some time before we will start heading toward our true destination.

I remain silent and watch at the sky without uttering a word but merely looking at it: the sky today isn't particularly clear and instead most of it is covered by dark clouds, but I doubt it will rain today. Still, I'm happy that the sky isn't deprived of clouds, I have never liked that kind of weather, unfortunately in this season it isn't uncommon to not see any clouds in the sky.

"Say, how are you feeling now?"

"Better than how I have felt in the past days."

Yes, she had asked me why I didn't come at school this Wednesday and I said that I didn't feel well and that I was too tired to lift even a finger, which was the truth, the previous night had taken its toll on me both because it had been a while since I fought and because it had passed even more time since the last time I went inside a Rift and I don't like when I have to go there.

"You should really try to let someone visit you, you can't continue to not sleep."

'Actually if I was to choose to not be in this form I could easily do such thing.'

"You know that I already did it, it's a desperate case, they didn't understand the cause 'but I do' let alone find a solution without knowing the origin of the problem."

"*sigh* Then at least try to take a chamomile before going to bed. You can't sleep in class, or you won't be able to keep up with the study."

"That may be so in the future, but up till now, I always managed to be among those with the highest grades among the students of our school."

At the moment I'm showing a truly cheeky and irritating smile and if I am to look at myself I might end up irritating myself. But, I will use this opportunity to have my revenge on her for deciding to not tell me where we're heading to.

"Hey, I'm just giving you an advice to help you solve your problem."

She kind of sounded half annoyed by my reply, which is exactly my aim, and I am satisfied with that much, for now.

"And I'm not saying I'm not going to try it, despite the fact I already tried it and it didn't work, I am simply stating a matter of fact."

Ok, just joking, I can't waste such opportunity and I didn't…and yes, I kind of an asshole in these occasions.

"Cut it out now, I know why you're doing it and don't worry, as soon as we will arrive you will understand where we will have our trip."

"Hmpf, that is rather obvious considering the fact that at that point I will see where we will be."

"Come on, try to not complain until we arrive."

At this last reply I don't verbally answer and instead choose to answer with a small nod. The train is approaching, I can see it already and so in the small span of a few seconds it has arrived and its doors opens: we both enters and the first thing I do is look around in search of a free seat. Luckily there is one and I waste no time in sitting on it, I can already feel my piled up tiredness resurface like a giant wave that manages to sweep away all my restrains. My eyes are closing, the light of the day together with everything else is being obstructed by my eyelids and then, my consciousness quickly is separated from my body and go into a state of sleep. I let my other thoughts and worry slip away: the fact of the portals, the Herald, those annoying Star Guardian and even the matter of the Dark Star; I simply wished to enjoy the day and its trip and I will do it, but before of it, no one will stop me from having some well-deserved sleep.

 **Ok, this one was harder to write than the other, the reason is because I'm actually working on a story of my own and having some problems with the title. Moreover, my actual situation isn't of the best, both at school and at home, the first because I have a lot of test and queries. A small spoiler, the next chapter will be about the trip, so don't expect too much action for that, but after it, things will become a bit more intrsting, so hope for the future, cause my hope doesn't exist anymore.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the long wait, but I was busy with another one of my fanfiction and with my story, I still have to work about a lot of things before I can truly write it down, but I will do it, it is something I really want to do and I will do it so please don't hate me and hope you will enjoy the chapter.**

 **-Trip on the Mountain-**

"So this is the place hmm."

He asks looking around, his face still half asleep, he really has a desperate need to sleep.

"Well, at least it isn't a beach."

Right now, we are near the base of the mount Targon: in this are there are some interesting places to visit, and the scenario isn't bad at all with forest covering most of the scenario and a lake near the mountain. All in all I think I have chosen the right place.

"Last time we went to a beach you have become completely apathetic."

"Ehi, you know that I don't really like that place, the only reason that I don't dislike the sea is because I like to be underwater."

Yes, but that doesn't mean that because you don't like it, you can't enjoy to stay there for a small while, really. The only two places he truly likes are the mountain and his house and when he is inside the former, he ends up spending most of his time studying and he rarely comes out during the night or evening. I truly don't understand him that much when he acts that way, still, I have become accustomed to it, since he had always been like this.

"Ehi, how is doing your mysterious uncle?"

"Mmm…now that you mention it, I haven't heard him in a while, guess, I'll try to call him or either send him an email."

For as much as he shared with me, Shanro had always been quite reserved, both about him and his family, for all I know, his parents died when he was still little, one year before we knew each other and so he had lived with an uncle of his that was always busy working and didn't spend much time with him. Then, when he turned fourteen, he had chose to live by himself and since his uncle was always out of the city for work, that didn't make much difference for him.

"You two really don't go along that much with each other do you?"

"I'd rather say that we simply live our life without talking much with each other."

"*chuckle* However you put it, it's pretty much the same."

"Really, well, can we get started and start the trip because this train station isn't that much interesting."

"Fine, follow me then."

He really gets impatient when it comes to this kind of things, apart from that he is a pretty much patient, or to be precise lazy, person. However, I never heard him complaining about how tiresome a trip of this kind could be, so I have to admit that he isn't that lazy if he wants to. Moreover, even if he doesn't show it, he worries in his own strange way about those close to him and he tries to help them, but sometimes it would be better if he doesn't do anything. Really! There are times I think he isn't human for how clumsy or strange he can be.

"So, care to explain your plan for the day?"

"Well, haven't I said it's a surprise?"

"*sigh*"

I see his shoulders slump down in resignation, he doesn't like surprise, well, I think he will like this one, especially considering what I have planned. Around the station there are very few buildings selling a few accessories, after all this place is often visited by tourists or people like us, but we already have everything we need and so we don't waste time looking around for something we might not have.

Not even five minutes of walking we enter in the woods surrounding the place: here the trees aren't that high, but they surpass the ten meters, providing a good cover from the sunlight and creating a shadow area where the heat of the sun don't arrive and today it's pretty hot. Well, not that such thing is surprising, it's summer after all and the temperature is normally high during this period. Thus, many people tend to wear light clothes, still, there is one person that I know that never suffered due to high temperatures nor low ones, and he's walking with me right now.

Seriously how can he be able to withstand all kind of temperatures without problems? Sometimes I really am envious of him, still, I really love these trips: it all started when I was still a child, around six, but ever since then I started to appreciate the nature more and more, in truth, I also don't dislike the city, but I love when I'm surrounded by the nature. I can't help it but be at ease and enjoy every moment and breath of staying in such wild environment, as for him, I kind of, have had a hard time understanding what he likes and what no and even now there are times I don't get it, but if there is something he loves is to draw and normally these trips helps him to create new paintings. After all, he's already looking around in search of something that can catch his interest.

I take a deep breath: the air here is truly refreshing and the smell of the woods is something I love, still…there is something that makes me feel uncomfortable and to further confirm this, a chill run down my spine and then in all my body.

"Is everything alright?"

Seems like he noticed it, well, after all it's hard to hide something from him, unless that something is related to something very personal. In that case…well, if he manages to understand something, it's already a miracle.

"I'm not completely sure, better get away from here."

It's useless to lie and I think that if we get away from there, the bad feeling I have will go away.

He looks at me and then around us, as if he is looking for a possible enemy or a threat that is lurking in the surroundings. Sometimes, he really is paranoid.

"There is no one here, calm down."

He stops looking around and we resume to walk. The ground is changing gradually, replacing the dirt with stone and the ground was becoming steeper, sign that we are nearing the mountain. Still, the path isn't hard to walk and we have already travelled roughly four kilometres in one hours and half and we still don't feel tired in the least, both me and him are used to this kind of things and I truly am enjoying this trip: despite being summer, the air there is fresh thanks to the wind and this greatly smothers the heat. Also, there are a few clouds that are gathering here and despite the fact this also means that the sun's rays can't cook us alive.

The trees are decreasing in number, soon we will be out of the wood and considering the height we are now, the view should be one to behold and I'm not mistaken, we walk out of the wood and we find ourselves in a plain that expands in length and here the ground is getting sourer, making our walk a bit harder but not less enjoyable. Here there are very few trees that creates small pool of shadows here and there, still, to partially protect from the heat of the season there is a cool wind that blow from north and there are also numerous rocks coming out from the ground providing a few good spots to sit and rest.

We don't even need to talk about this matter and choose to pick one of those spot to look around and behold the view.

We go for a group of small rocks that are big enough to provide a good place to sit and with a tree to shadow us. Shanro immediately take out from the rucksack his note book on which he sketches and then, the next thing I see him doing is using his pencil to draw. The view from up here is pretty good, with the lake under the mountain in foreground, the woods also occupy most of the picture by covering most of the place around this location. Toward north, I see the other mountains that are part of this mountain range, there are very few that have traces of snow on their top, but considering the fact that this summer is one of the hottest in recent years, the absence of snow isn't that surprising. However, there are a few of those tops that are still white and among them, one stands atop of the other: a white coat covered most its surface and its imposing figure can't be in any possible way be compared to that of the other mountains, with its peak surpassing the clouds of the sky and even casting a shadow downstream. That is Mount Targon, one of highest of the mountains of the continent, if not the highest and it is also one famous destination for tourists: from what I've read, in the past that place was inhabited by a civilization that frequently studied the star and even today archaeologist go there in search of finds of any kind. Other than these information, I don't know that much about it, but he surely knows more, since history is one of the subject he's best in.

I keep staring around and at the sky, a bottle of water in my right hand while I enjoy the peacefulness of that place, the only audible sounds being the wind that is softly blowing there, the light rustle of the leaves and the quick movements of Shanro's pencil on the surface of his notebook while drawing the picture of the scenario in front of us. I stretch my arms and then I try to take a peek at his drawing: his hand is moving with quick and dry movements, creating the skeleton of the picture he will create later. When he makes this kind of sketch, he always pays attention to how he draws even if the final product isn't that, still, he's doing pretty well and I think he will be busy for a pair of minutes.

'Well, guess I'll…'

…

…

…

'…not again.'

Slowly I open my eyes and a flash of light make all the more difficult to see. I seems like I passed out.

"Don't force yourself."

At least he didn't ignore me. Guess he can also worry about others sometimes. I force myself up in a sitting position and then I shake my head, it looks like my anaemia managed to make me pass out.

"There are times in which you should worry more about your health."

As always he tends to put in evidence the error of the other when something like this happen. It may not look like it, but in truth what he's trying to accomplish is to make people aware of their mistake, still, if he's doing this to prevent them from repeating what they did, or because he wishes to lecture them or something along the line, is something I don't understand.

"You need to eat something. Here take this."

He hands me a small sandwich warped in plastic and I take it. As always, he carries pretty much everything with him and I wouldn't be surprised if inside his rucksack was a kit of first aid and who knows how many other things.

"Thanks, but when have you found the time to prepare it?"

Knowing how much time he spends on the books and his problem to sleep and from how they look, they don't seem bad. Without wasting anymore time, I take out the food from its coffin and then bite it: I'm not someone too squeamish and normally I will eat anything that is served and due to the particular kind of sickness I have, I'm forced to eat pretty often. Thus why I am eating with such heat, because midday has passed from fifteen minutes and today I haven't eaten too much at breakfast and now this decision is showing its result in the form of what just happened.

On the other hand, I also take a look at Shanro and it seems like I'm not the only one that is hungry: even he is eating another sandwich with a good amount of hunger in his eyes.

"Looks like someone hasn't eaten that much today."

I call out to him while eating my own food. In response he keeps looking at his notebook while eating his sandwich.

"I suggest you to finish the food I've given to you, because if not, I will eat it."

He sounds both angry and annoyed that I just reminded him of what happened a few hours ago. Still, I know him well enough to know that he's capable of doing what he just told me and I'd rather avoid such occurrence. So I finish to eat my small meal and take a sip of water from my bottle, I then look at him and I notice he's putting the things he has taken out to draw back inside his rucksack, clear sign that he had finished with his sketch and that we can resume our walk. I put my bottle of water inside my own bag and then we restart our trip without waiting any further.

Now we have to walk without the protection of the trees from the sunlight, but at least the wind manages to smother the heat. Still, the clouds are increasing and judging from their colour, I would say that it's going to rain today, but we're not done yet: the ground is getting harder and harder to walk on, but we can still go on without problem

We proceed without any trees over our head for around fifteen minutes before we enter again the forest and I welcome the looming shadows of the trees.

"How much will we have to walk before we arrive?"

He doesn't sound tired, so I don't tease him and instead choose to simply give the answer he asked me.

"Not that much, we should be there in 45 minutes or so."

I planned to reach a small river that is near the top of the mountain, the place where I am aiming to go to be precise is where it comes out of the ground. I thought it would be a good place where we could have lunch and then after having eaten, we would have descended down and take the next train to return back.

Still, those clouds don't promise anything good, hope that we will be able to make it back in time. Otherwise, it will get more complicate to go back and in truth, today I don't feel like facing that kind of situation. Thus I accelerate my steps and judging from the sound I hear coming from behind me, he's doing the same.

The ground is becoming less steep and more flat, this making our walk easier. I keep walking but I also look around me to enjoy the scenario around me, the forest is truly beautiful, around us I can hear the sound of the birds that are moving over our head, while many other animals swarm around in search of food. I keep listening to that melody while moving with silent steps in order to not disturb that music.

Then, I hear the sound of water, I look in the direction that I caught that sound and see the light reflecting on a transparent surface, I signal to Shanro that I have found the river and walk toward it. We still haven't reached its fount, but my guess is that we're not too far from it and I take this occasion to take a ship of that water: it is truly fresh and tasty, something that I have always loved about the water of the rivers like this one and considering that the point from which it comes out of the ground isn't too far makes it even more appreciable.

"Can we please keep moving that my stomach wish to eat something more."

"Have a bit more of patience. No one is forcing us to rush things."

"Those clouds are and I'd rather not have to be forced to face the consequences of waiting too much."

As he said these words he proceeds to resume to walk, this time following the course of the river contrariwise. I shake my head and look at the sky: indeed, the clouds are moving, but we still have time before it starts to rain and they may not release that much water. Still, he's always been someone that will rather not try his luck too much, guess this is one of those cases, but, if he rushes things as he's doing he will not enjoy the trip. I rise my eyes to the sky in resignation and follow him; at this point a guide is unnecessary and we can both advance safely by simply following the course of water.

We walk at a good pace and we reach our destination in what look like a few minutes to me, but in truth I don't really know how much time it has passed since I stopped to drink. I take out my phone and look at its clock: it's 13:11, guess that we managed to reach this place sooner than I have expected.

I look around, the place we are is a small clearing surrounded on three sides by trees but their fronds cover the place completely but allowing a few rays to come down to light up the place. The fount of the river is also visible and comes out from a small cave on a wall of rock on the only sides where there aren't any trees. Immediately he sits on the ground, laying his back on the wall from which came out the water and then he takes out some food from his rucksack, which is now next to him on the ground.

"What are you doing, we haven't arrived yet."

As I tell him this he looks at me and the eyes tell me everything I need to know. He then changes to a glare and put his rucksack back on his shoulders while grumbling something. He has already figured out what I'm going to do and shortly after I start to climb the wall from which comes out the water, he's following me while still glaring.

"I thought that we had arrived."

"Sorry to disappoint you but it won't be that easy."

The wall itself isn't so hard to climb, with numerous and solid holds for both our hands and feet and the place I plan to reach isn't that high. I keep proceeding without stopping and after having climbed up for a small while I have reached the destination: it's a small place of roughly eight square meters and with just a few rocks around that are big enough to work as small chair and the no protection from the sun. Still, the view repays of everything, hope that he will enjoy it enough to stop complaining.

"Hmpf…"

Here he is: he has finished to climb up and is now looking around to see where I have brought him.

"So what do you think?"

"…two to one."

"Eh?"

He says that leaving me a little puzzled and then sit down on a rock and proceed to take out something from his rucksack, most likely his notebook, pencil and his lunch.

"Two bad point to one positive."

At last he admitted that this place has one good point.

"First, I had to climb up till here to reach this place and second there isn't anything that can shield from the sun. As for the sole good point, it is the view."

"You really are impossible sometimes."

As I talk he has already started to eat and his personal things are gathered next to him. Ready to be used any time.

I close my eyes and inhale deeply, the air here is truly refreshing, next, I open my eyes and take a look at the scenario in front of us: below us starts what I can describe as a sea of green, the foliage of the trees covered almost everything on that side of the mountain but left small space where it is possible to see under their shadow, creating small island surrounded by leafs. However, as my eyes moved to my left, I can see the trees slowly decreasing until there are a few left alone, like lonely sentinels waiting for their companions to join them on the new ground. But for now they are left alone in a land of rocks, dirt and grass, where the wind blows freely and creates a melody of whispers that echoes all over the place. Still, that's not all that is to see; if I look forward toward the end of the mountain I can see what I think is one of my favourite landscape: this region is known for being characterized a chain of mountains that is famous all over the continent and from up here I can see the lake that is located at the base of Targon's mountain, while vast forest of evergreen trees surrounds it, not even the few buildings that I can see are out of place, because they form small areas where the plants are reduced in numbers and where the hand of civilization has modified the ground. I look at the sky and the clouds have covered most of it, but the sun is still clearly visible and so are its rays. I take another deep breath and then sit down on the bare ground, just as Shanro did before, I take out my lunch from my rucksack and start to eat it: it is nothing special, just two sandwiches with salad, tomato and cheese, a bottle of water and my favourite food, peaches.

I start to eat the first of the two sandwiches, savouring its taste to its fullest and while eating, I also look around: the scenario is truly beautiful and being able to witness it while at the same time eating something is truly a good experience. I finish to eat the first of the two roll and take out the second one from the plastic coffin it is kept and bite it, I prepared them yesterday's evening and in truth I think I should try to use some kind of sauce to make it tastier, well I'll think about it next time…

'Urgh…'

My head starts to spin...I can't focus and I feel a growing feeling of nausea…

I bring a hand to my face and I try to regain control, but it isn't easy, I'm feeling weak and my breath is ragged.

"Kaisa, pull yourself together."

He is next to me; I can see that he is worried. I take a deep breath and try to stabilize it. Slowly my head stops to spin, my thoughts become clearer and the nausea I was feeling recede, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. He nods to me as to say that now everything is ok and then he gets me his bottle of water. I take it and thank him silently before drinking some water to wash away that savour I am tasting. It doesn't go away, but at least now it is dulled, I shake my head, my breath is still a bit irregular and deeper than how they should be, but now I'm feeling ok.

"Thanks, now I'm fine."

"Guess that today isn't the day for a trip."

He is half joking, something rare and even rarer, he said it at the right time. I laugh lightly at it and this is the signal for him that I'm fine, he doesn't waste any time and return to his sketch.

"I think we should go back as soon as possible. Today it doesn't seem to be a good day for you."

He spoke causally, as he always does, and he also seems to be a bit annoyed by how things have gone, still, I think that in the end he is worried about my health.

"Fine, let me finish my lunch and we can go back."

He doesn't properly answer and instead let out some kind of grunt as to signal his approval. I turn my head and look again at the scenario, only this time I focus my eyes toward the point where we came out of the woods and entered in the plain where we took a break before. I look there and as I keep doing it I feel a strange sensation, as if something is calling for me, telling me to go there. I blink, again and again, but that feeling doesn't go away, there is something there, I'm sure of it…but what is it?

"Hey, are you going to eat those peaches or do you intend to search the woods like that?"

As I hear his voice, I feel like snapping out of some kind of trance and return to my senses.

"You're right, well, I'd better eat them quickly because those clouds don't promise nothing good."

Indeed, the clouds that are gathering in the sky don't seem to promise nothing good, but I said those words to cover the fact that I was looking at something even I don't know what it is, but I'm sure there is something there.

I take a peach and bit it: it is my favourite food and I love how it tastes, but today it doesn't, my mind is thinking about something different and as I eat that sweat fruit, I don't feel its taste, but something empty. There is something there I'm sure of it…but then, why…why am I scared of it and why it does feel like this isn't the first time I feel it.

 **Ooook, don't expect a new chapters any time soon, because first I heard that soon enough there will be new star guardian skins, much to my disgust, and new anti-star guardian skin. So I'm going to wait until their lore will be available, because I don't wish to mess everything up and these new adds could be very interesting. So see you next time.**


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